Just saw Nick Saban up there in front of Congress talking about bringing order to this mess and I could not help but think back to the 1979 team when we had walk-ons from places like Gadsden and Bessemer who would run through a brick wall for the privilege of wearing the crimson jersey. That is what is missing now. That is the heart of it.
Back then you had kids who showed up to fall camp with no scholarship, no promises, just a dream and a work ethic forged in Alabama summers. They would do the dirty work on scout team for three years and then suddenly you see them making a key tackle on kickoff in the fourth quarter against Auburn. That is how we built depth. That is how we built character.
Now everything is about who brings the biggest NIL bag and how fast you can hit the portal when you are not starting by week three. The walk-on culture is dead and buried. Coach Bryant used to say you find out what a man is made of when nobody is watching. These kids today have agents watcing their social media accounts instead.